Taekwondo is a wonderful martial art and a great form of exercise. This is a fighting sport that will improve your child / teen’s fitness, wellbeing and mental focus, teaching discipline and respect, all while helping to make them stronger, more flexible, improving their cardiovascular health & perhaps most importantly; encouraging their own confidence & bodily autonomy.
They’ll learn a very effective method of self defence, while getting a great workout with tangible, life long benefits!
Taekwondo for Kids / Teenagers
- Peace of Mind / Self Control / Respect for others
- Integrity / Confidence / Honesty / Perseverance
- Bodily Autonomy & the means to enforce it
- A valuable outlet for those formative, & often challenging, years!
Ages 6 – 15
Read on for the many Benefits of Taekwondo, or click here to get answers to your questions!
The Benefits of Taekwondo for Adults
Effective Self Defence
The main purpose of TaekwonDo is to learn self-defence. Taekwondo originally came from Korea and is now considered one of the most effective and popular martial arts in the world.
Goal Setting
Taekwondo has as much to do with mental discipline as it does with physical discipline. Learning the various aspects of TaekwonDo and perfecting them involves goal setting. Taekwondo teaches you that nothing in life worth having is always easy to obtain and that every goal you set requires a disciplined approach.
Self Esteem
Practising TaekwonDo on a regular basis will increase your self-confidence and self-esteem. As you progress, your confidence will grow because of what you have accomplished. You will notice improved muscle tone and weight loss, and when you look better you also tend to feel better. Taekwondo teaches you how to defend yourself, and knowing that you can hold your own in a tough situation definitely inspires confidence and self-esteem.
Social
Taekwondo is a group activity. Humans are by nature gregarious creatures and that means that we don’t like to be alone. Taekwondo is a great way to get out of the house, meet new people and make new friends.
Cardio
Taekwondo training will definitely improve your cardiovascular fitness. It takes a lot of cardiovascular endurance to be able to get through a class. This is something you will build up to, and be surprised at how your general fitness has improved. Moreover, while a TaekwonDo class is not the same as going for a run, the constant physical motion will get your heart pumping.
Flexibility
Taekwondo is a fantastic way to improve flexibility. We always start with a warm-up and gradually move into stretching which is beneficial because it loosens your muscles, getting them ready for strenuous activity and greatly reducing the chances of injury. It is not unusual for beginner students to be very inflexible, but after a while, they find that their range of motion has dramatically improved. At SCMA we apply scientific principles when stretching to avoid injury.
Wellbeing
Practising Taekwondo on a regular basis can make you feel happier. Exercising causes your brain to produce neurochemicals, the most important of which is Serotonin, producing feelings of happiness, elation, and calmness. Therefore, TaekwonDo training, as with any form of exercise, can help to improve low feelings and combat stress.
Strength
Regular TaekwonDo training will improve your strength and muscle tone. A typical class involves lots of body weight exercises such as push-ups, abdominal crunch and plank, to help develop core strength.
Weight
Taekwondo training will definitely help you to burn calories and lose weight, as part of your training program. Regular physical exercise increases your metabolic rate on a fairly long-term basis, thus making your body burn more calories even after you have finished exercising, which is very important for weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.
Bone Health
As a weight-bearing exercise, Taekwondo can help to strengthen bones. Every time you put an increased amount of weight on your bones, or you cause them to receive impact, such as when you do a kick, it causes your osteoblasts to lay down bone matter. Technically speaking, your bones grow in much the same way as your muscles grow, and the more you train them with weight-bearing exercises, the stronger they get.
Character
Taekwondo involves taking very clear and precise instructions from an Instructor, who will usually be a senior black belt. It is very important to follow these instructions and show the required level of courtesy and respect. Martial arts, especially those originating from Asia, are based upon respect for elders/seniors. Failure to show the correct courtesy or not following instructions is not tolerated in the Dojang (trying hall). Therefore Taekwondo is a fantastic way to teach kids some respect, and reinforce good behaviour and social values which should be taught both at home and in schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Junior Taekwondo Class look like?
Junior Taekwondo Classes bridge the gap between Little Dragons & Adult Classes, younger students quickly adapt to a more calm, yet equally welcoming environment in which each student is free & empowered to explore their body & learn to master both their physical & mental selves.
Can Taekwondo help with bullying?
Bullying is a complex, & very sensitive, matter, requiring significant & dedicated support across all aspects of a person’s life, Taekwondo, or any martial art (contrary to the films!) isn’t the single answer to the problem of bullying, but it is an important tool in the arsenal for dealing with this painful subject. By building confidence, both physically & mentally, strength, dexterity & character, Taekwondo can really help your family, both as an outlet, & a means of building broad spectrum resilience.
That said, if your child is experiencing bullying, we would always encourage engagement with relevant parties, & recommend seeking support through the various organisations that offer it – no one is alone.
Who can practice Taekwondo?
Anyone. There are no restrictions, we welcome all!
Are there any health concerns / restrictions?
Taekwondo helps to build strength, cardio-vascular health & endurance, fitness & much more besides, the only real limits in this regard are that you are able to practice safely, if you have any doubt, check with your GP & contact us to outline your specific conditions.
Is Taekwondo for me?
If you want to focus & work hard on yourself, while meeting decent, friendly people, building & improving your own physical & mental health, then the answer is almost certainly yes! You just need to be ready to commit to yourself.
Do I need a lot of special gear?
No! Our Trial Sessions are a chance for you to get a taste without spending out on gear & class fees – if you decide Taekwondo is for you, all we ask is that you eventually purchase a uniform, such as you would see in any Dojang, prices for uniforms are relatively low, if you have any concerns, just ask!
